Ohio State left Austin with a clearer picture of what this team needs, and the answer goes beyond scheme or effort. The Buckeyes already have the kind of veteran backbone that keeps them afloat in almost any week. What they need now is more juice from the younger players who can turn a good offense into a dangerous one and a solid defense into something much harder to deal with.
The offensive core is in place. Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and the interior of the offensive line are the foundation, and that group can carry Ohio State a long way. But the support around them was not enough against Texas, and the biggest issue was easy to spot: outside of Jeremiah Smith, there just isn’t enough explosiveness.
That is where Legend Bey comes in. Bo Jackson is a good back, but he does not bring that extra gear.
Bey does. At 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, the freshman is not built to be an every-down option right now, but he gives the offense something different.
Ohio State could use that.
Ja’Kobi Jackson has handled 13 carries over the first two games and produced well, but his 7.9 yards per carry does not look like something that will hold up forever. He still has a place because he is the most experienced pass blocker in the group, but as a runner he overlaps too much with Bo Jackson. Bey deserves more of that work.
The same theme shows up at receiver. Ohio State’s wideouts other than Jeremiah Smith managed just 2 catches for 24 yards on 5 targets against Texas.
Freshmen Brock Boyd and Chris Henry Jr. did not get a target at all, with Boyd playing 12 of 65 snaps and Henry playing 9. The issue is not talent.
It is opportunity.
Devin McCuin has drawn strong praise from the coaching staff as one of the best players they’ve had, and Brandon Inniss does his job well while serving as a leader. Even so, there are ways to get more of the young pass catchers involved.
Ohio State is leaning too heavily on tight ends, spending too much time in 12 and 13 personnel. That may work in theory, but the Buckeyes are pouring NIL money into receivers, not tight ends.
They need to actually use those receivers.
A lot of those formations show up in short-yardage situations and the red zone, which is exactly where Ohio State has not been good. Living more in 10 and 11 personnel would create more chances for the younger skill players to touch the ball. Chris Henry Jr. is far more likely to hit a game-changing play in a spot like Michigan or the playoff than Mason Williams is.
Defensively, Ohio State has already shown a willingness to rotate, and the young players are getting meaningful work. Jay Timmons and Devin Sanchez are both starting and have looked good so far. That rotation should stretch even further.
Beau Atkinson, the transfer from North Carolina, has not delivered. There is still no need to shut the door completely on him, but his role should be limited to specific situations.
Zion Grady is dealing with a health question and will not play against Kent State on Saturday, though he should be the starter opposite Kenyatta Jackson. Khary Wilder played only five snaps against Texas, but they were impactful ones, as he spent time in Arch Manning’s backfield and was largely untouched in the second half.
Epi Sitaneli should also be taking snaps over Atkinson, and Qua Russaw probably needs a smaller workload as more of a pass-rush specialist.
Linebacker brought its own concerns. Riley Pettijohn was active all over the field when he was on the field.
Payton Pierce, though, looked noticeably slower and missed tackles. He can still have a role without being a speedster, but Saturday night made one thing plain: Payton Pierce can’t play if he can’t tackle.
That may have been a bad night for him, but it is still worth watching. Christian Alliegro is trying to fill the Arvell Reese role, and that is a tough ask.
T.J. Alford should get a look there against Kent State to see whether he can handle it.
Ohio State’s veterans give this team a high floor. Even with a difficult schedule, they should win at least nine games and have the kind of talent that can beat anyone in a single game. But the first- and second-year players, many of them highly rated recruits, are the ones who can raise the ceiling and push this team toward being a true national championship contender.
Jeremiah Smith will be gone next year, which makes the urgency even more obvious. The Buckeyes may have planned to ease the younger players in over time, but the loss in Austin should make the decision harder to avoid.
In Other News...
Ohio State Loss Keeps Getting More Awkward After Sarkisian Controversy
Texas comeback win over then-No. 1 Ohio State was already going to be remembered for the result, but the postgame noise has kept following it. Quarterback Arch Manning later apologized after laughing at an AI-generated video that showed coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, a moment that only added to the odd aftertaste surrounding a game the Buckeyes had let slip away.
Sarkisian also addressed the issue in a media meeting, saying he had skipped a postgame interview with Rowe because of a delay and because he chose to celebrate with his team instead. He said he respects Rowe and ESPN and expressed regret over how he handled it, another layer to a loss Ohio State fans were already trying to process as the off-field awkwardness kept building. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Revived A Massive Ohio State What-If
Micah Parsons has reopened one of those Ohio State recruiting what-ifs that never really disappears, especially when a player becomes one of the NFLs most disruptive defenders. The former Penn State star said he was close enough to Ohio State that he could picture what his career might have looked like in Columbus, where a front already stacked with elite pass rushers could have given him a different kind of launch point.
What makes the conversation linger is the way Parsons framed the fit with that Buckeyes defensive line. Ohio State has turned edge talent into a defining part of its identity, and Parsons imagining himself alongside names like Nick Bosa and Chase Young only adds to the intrigue of how much scarier that group might have been. The full story behind his decision is the kind of recruiting twist that still echoes years later, and it is easy to see why Buckeyes fans cannot help replaying it. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Secondary Has A Problem Big Ten Teams Will Notice
Ohio States secondary left Saturday with more questions than it wanted after a game against Texas in which coverage broke down on two pass plays that should have put the Buckeyes in real trouble. The only reason both snaps didnt turn into touchdowns was because Texas receivers failed to finish the job, a reminder that the back end is still searching for cleaner communication and tighter execution before Big Ten play begins.
Safety Earl Little Jr. acknowledged the need for improvement and stressed that every defender has to own his assignment if the unit is going to hold up against conference offenses. The coaching staff has kept practice demanding for exactly that reason, pushing the Buckeyes to sharpen the details now rather than hope they sort themselves out later. [Read more 🡒]